According to African Postharvest Losses Information System reports, African countries waste more than 30 percent of fresh fruits and vegetables through inefficient post-harvest management. Tanzania is one of the countries that experience this problem. Most small-scale farmers live in areas where access to electricity is limited. As a result, they don't have cold storage facilities for their fresh vegetables and fruits.
With a lack of cold storage, nearly 30 percent of fresh produce in Tanzania perish before it gets to consumers. For fresh tomatoes, as much as 50 percent is lost before reaching markets due to poor storage conditions. Recently, solar-powered cold storage facilities have emerged as a potential solution. These facilities are already benefiting thousands of farmers and traders in Nigeria. But they are not reaching many others across sub-Saharan Africa.
Source: thecitizen.co.tz